Rest in Peace, Magaly Llaguno, Great Champion of Life

HLI president Father Shenan J. Boquet said the following: “As many knew, last year Magaly suffered a relapse of cancer that was particularly aggressive, leading to her resignation from Human Life International earlier this year so she could focus primarily on her health and treatment. I was just one of many who were struck by her joy and peace even amidst great suffering during this last year. With the various treatments and the pain she was enduring, she continued to send emails and call colleagues to keep them inspired, to translate and share important articles and documents, to stay in the fight with every ounce of energy that she had. Her love and gratitude for her family, as well as her longtime pro-life friends and colleagues was an obvious source of joy.”

Magaly started in the pro-life movement over 40 years ago, working from her own home at first as she helped to start several pro-life groups, including National Right to Life. In 1984, Fr. Paul Marx, OSB, founder of Human Life International, asked her to be the Executive Director of Vida Humana Internacional (VHI), the Hispanic Division of HLI, to defend life and family in Spanish speaking nations, and she accepted, pouring her heart all she had into the work.

Over many years, Magaly developed a network of affiliated and collaborating organizations throughout Latin America and Spain. This network not only continues today, but in fact is working better than ever, its leaders and colleagues continuing to win victories for life today. The network began through Magaly’s efforts to bring leaders together at the first international pro-life congresses of Latin America, of which she was the chief organizer.

With VHI’s affiliate in Mexico, Comite Nacional Provida, led by Jorge Serrano, Magaly helped to create a network of crisis pregnancy centers throughout Latin America – a network that today has over 120 centers and has saved untold thousands of pre-born babies and their moms from abortion.

Magaly personally saved many women and children from abortion, often giving her own resources, and fought to keep anti-life sex education out of Miami schools. Even while fighting for her life during the last year, she continued to collaborate with the USCCB, as well as with many pro-life leaders to bring Project Rachel and Respect Life Committees to Latin America. Magaly was given the 2011 “People of Life” award from the Pro-Life Secretariat of the USCCB for her work as a leading advocate for life internationally.

Magaly was the key player in developing the most-visited Spanish language pro-life web site in the world, www.vidahumana.org, which often averaged 3 million hits a month, leading to many lives saved and countless pro-lifers being moved to join the fight for life. She participated in countless interviews and gave countless presentations, to small groups and to thousands, all with her unique passion and conviction.

“We will sorely miss Magaly, a sister in the battle for life, a joyful defender of our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. What kept Magaly going through thick and thin, through terrible personal suffering and setbacks, was her conviction that God had called her to do this important work. Her ‘yes’ to God saved thousands of lives and brought many champions together. Fighting for truth and life until the end, leaving nothing on the table… We would do well to learn from such a courageous and faithful witness,” said Patricia Bainbridge, chairman of the board of Human Life International.

Father Boquet asks all who fight for life to pray for the repose of Magaly’s soul, and for all who mourn her passing. Eternal rest grant unto Magaly, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace and may all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.

About HLI: Human Life International: For the Glory of God and defense of Life, Faith and Family. Founded in 1981, HLI is the world’s largest international grassroots pro-life and pro-family organization, with affiliates and associates in over 80 countries on six continents. www.hli.org